proton
a positively charged elementary particle that is a fundamental constituent of all atomic nuclei. It is the lightest and most stable baryon, having a charge equal in magnitude to that of the electron, a spin of ½, and a mass of 1.673 × 10-27 kg. Symbol: P
Origin of proton
1Other words from proton
- pro·ton·ic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use proton in a sentence
The gravity is enough to squeeze atoms until electrons combine with protons to make neutrons.
The nuclei of atoms are stable only when they contain certain numbers of neutrons and protons.
The Atomic Fingerprint | Bernard KeischThus, while all sodium atoms contain 11 protons, only those sodium atoms that contain 12 neutrons are stable.
The Atomic Fingerprint | Bernard KeischThe numbers denote the atomic weight of the atom, which is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.
The Atomic Fingerprint | Bernard KeischThe size ratio of these particles to protons is somewhat like the ratio of an individual proton to a large star.
The Untouchable | Stephen A. Kallis
To have produced the complete alignment of both the protons and the electrons within a mass might have been attempted before.
Where I Wasn't Going | Walt Richmond
British Dictionary definitions for proton
/ (ˈprəʊtɒn) /
a stable, positively charged elementary particle, found in atomic nuclei in numbers equal to the atomic number of the element. It is a baryon with a charge of 1.602176462 × 10 –19 coulomb, a rest mass of 1.672 62159 × 10 –27 kilogram, and spin 1/2
Origin of proton
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for proton
[ prō′tŏn′ ]
A stable subatomic particle in the baryon family having a mass of 1.672 X 10-24 grams (1,836 times that of the electron) and a positive electric charge of approximately 1.602 X 10-19 coulombs. Protons make up part of the nucleus of all atoms except hydrogen, whose nucleus consists of a single proton. In neutral atoms, the number of protons is the same as the number of electrons. In positively charged atoms, the number of protons is greater than the number of electrons, and in negatively charged atoms electrons outnumber protons. Protons are believed to be composed of two up quarks and one down quark. See Table at subatomic particle.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for proton
[ (proh-ton) ]
An elementary particle with a positive charge, found in the nucleus of an atom.
Notes for proton
Notes for proton
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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